[Psoriasis vulgaris: immunologlobulin binding to human epidermis after limited proteolysis]

Immune complexes isolated from sera of psoriatic patients and healthy controls show an identical pattern in sodiumdodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. And so it seems to be unlikely that the increased provable serum immune complexes by psoriatics contain specific protein antigens.--Following to limited proteolysis of normal human epidermis, antibodies which solely are provable in sera of psoriatic patients could bind to proteolytic altered structures. For achieving a similar process in vivo, the following conditions are to be discussed: (1) an elevated concentration of certain autoantibodies in the sera of psoriatic patients and a temporary increased vessels permeability for antibodies, (2) the availability of structures in the epidermis of psoriatics with increased affintiy to certain antibodies. These structures may be produced by limited proteolysis or as a result of the disturbed differentiation of epidermal cells.